Definitions
The term "community of practice" refers to a group of people with a common activity who increase their knowledge on the subject through their continued interactions with each other. Each group member is committed to the shared domain of interest, and this inspires discussions and cooperation, which increases competence. Learning, then, is a social process. Newcomers to the community and less experienced community members take apprentice roles, learning from more experienced community members through participation in the community's interactions, which enables the community to reproduce itself over time. Those in apprentice roles are not the only members learning, however; the interaction between community members provides learning opportunities for all members.
This term was coined by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger in 1991 to describe the apprenticeship learning model, where "the community acts as a living curriculum for the apprentice," though a formal apprentice system is not a necessary condition for a community of practice (Wenger, 2006). As the term became more widely known, "communities of practice" were frequently identified (or self identified) and fostered, even outside of educational fields. One well-known example of a community of practice in business is that of the Xerox customer service representatives/mechanics, who casually exchanged tips, tricks and experience over their regular breakfasts together (Brown, J.S. & Duguid, P., 2000). The Xerox community of practice is estimated to have saved the company significant time and money. Communities of practice have been identified and/or fostered successfully by many different groups, in education, business, government, organizations and on the web, where interaction is virtual rather than face-to-face.
There has been some debate over the application of the term and model, and how well it can be extended to the corporate and virtual worlds (Kimble, C. & Hildreth, P., 2004), but the concept has continued to draw interest over the past two decades.
Relevant Quotes
"Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly." (Wenger, 2006)
"The term community of practice was coined to refer to the community that acts as a living curriculum for the apprentice. [...] And of course, learning in a community of practice is not limited to novices. The practice of a community is dynamic and involves learning on the part of everyone." (Wenger, 2006)
"Legitimate peripheral participation refers both to the development of knowledgeably skilled identities in practice and to the reproduction and transformation of communities of practice. It concerns the latter insofar as communities of practice consist of and depend on a membership, including its characteristic biographies/trajectories, relationships, and practices." (Lave and Wenger, 1991, 55)
"Communities of practice have histories and developmental cycles, and reproduce themselves in such a way that the transformation of newcomers into old-timers becomes unremarkably integral to the practice." (Lave and Wenger, 1991, 122)
"Whereas Lave and Wenger (1991) were interested primarily in learning within one or another community of practice and therefore did not deal extensively with the issue of transfer, others were interested in how learning in one community of practice influences learning in another." (Brent, 16)
Related Terms legitimate peripheral participation - "In any given concrete community of practice the process of community reproduction - historically constructed, ongoing, conflicting, synergistic structuring of activity and relations among practitioners - must be deciphered in order to understand specific forms of legitimate peripheral participation through time." (Lave and Wenger, 1991, 56)
situated learning
domain
duality
community of inquiry
community
practice
virtual/online community of practice
The term "community of practice" refers to a group of people with a common activity who increase their knowledge on the subject through their continued interactions with each other. Each group member is committed to the shared domain of interest, and this inspires discussions and cooperation, which increases competence. Learning, then, is a social process. Newcomers to the community and less experienced community members take apprentice roles, learning from more experienced community members through participation in the community's interactions, which enables the community to reproduce itself over time. Those in apprentice roles are not the only members learning, however; the interaction between community members provides learning opportunities for all members.
This term was coined by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger in 1991 to describe the apprenticeship learning model, where "the community acts as a living curriculum for the apprentice," though a formal apprentice system is not a necessary condition for a community of practice (Wenger, 2006). As the term became more widely known, "communities of practice" were frequently identified (or self identified) and fostered, even outside of educational fields. One well-known example of a community of practice in business is that of the Xerox customer service representatives/mechanics, who casually exchanged tips, tricks and experience over their regular breakfasts together (Brown, J.S. & Duguid, P., 2000). The Xerox community of practice is estimated to have saved the company significant time and money. Communities of practice have been identified and/or fostered successfully by many different groups, in education, business, government, organizations and on the web, where interaction is virtual rather than face-to-face.
There has been some debate over the application of the term and model, and how well it can be extended to the corporate and virtual worlds (Kimble, C. & Hildreth, P., 2004), but the concept has continued to draw interest over the past two decades.
Relevant Quotes
"Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly." (Wenger, 2006)
"The term community of practice was coined to refer to the community that acts as a living curriculum for the apprentice. [...] And of course, learning in a community of practice is not limited to novices. The practice of a community is dynamic and involves learning on the part of everyone." (Wenger, 2006)
"Legitimate peripheral participation refers both to the development of knowledgeably skilled identities in practice and to the reproduction and transformation of communities of practice. It concerns the latter insofar as communities of practice consist of and depend on a membership, including its characteristic biographies/trajectories, relationships, and practices." (Lave and Wenger, 1991, 55)
"Communities of practice have histories and developmental cycles, and reproduce themselves in such a way that the transformation of newcomers into old-timers becomes unremarkably integral to the practice." (Lave and Wenger, 1991, 122)
"Whereas Lave and Wenger (1991) were interested primarily in learning within one or another community of practice and therefore did not deal extensively with the issue of transfer, others were interested in how learning in one community of practice influences learning in another." (Brent, 16)
Related Terms
legitimate peripheral participation - "In any given concrete community of practice the process of community reproduction - historically constructed, ongoing, conflicting, synergistic structuring of activity and relations among practitioners - must be deciphered in order to understand specific forms of legitimate peripheral participation through time." (Lave and Wenger, 1991, 56)
situated learning
domain
duality
community of inquiry
community
practice
virtual/online community of practice
Sources
Brent, D. (2011). Transfer, Transformation, and Rhetorical Knowledge. Retrieved from
http://people.ucalgary.ca/~dabrent/art/Transfer%20Transformation%20and%20Rhetorical%20Knowledge%20Draft%202-2.pdf
Brown, J.S. & Duguid, P. (2000). Balancing act: How to capture knowledge without killing it. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from
http://lymabe.edublogs.org/files/2007/04/balancing-act.doc
Kimble, C. & Hildreth, P. (2004). Communities of practice: Going one step too far? Retrieved from
http://www.chris-kimble.com/Publications/Documents/Kimble_2004.pdf
Lave, J. & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation. Cambridge: Cambridge UP
Wenger, E. (2006). Communities of practice: A brief introduction. Retrieved from
http://www.ewenger.com/theory/index.htm